Sediment tester



June 16, 1936. O D KN 2,044,31Q

SEDIMENT TESTER Filed April 16, 1935 Invento'r Patented June 16, 1936 attests PATENT @FFME SEDEVIENT TESTER Oliver D. Knight, Madison, Wis., assignor to Harold H. Puetz, Madison, Wis.

Application April 16, 1935, Serial No. 16,729 2 Claims. (01. 7351) The present invention relates to sediment testers for milk and cream of the type constituting the subject matter of United States Patent No. 1,264,243, issued April 30, 1918, upon which the present invention constitutes an improvement.

In the dairy industry it has become increasingly important that a satisfactory device he provided for testing cream as well as milk. However, the thickness of cream renders Washing of the deposit necessary in order that the sediment may be properly examined and the character thereof determined. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a tester of the aforementioned character which embodies novel means through the medium of which the deposit may be washed without destroying the same.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a sediment tester of the character described which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a tester constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of the piston.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the piston, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a substantially cylindrical container I of any suitable material, said container being open at its top and flared, as at 2. Operable in the container I is a piston 3 which is fixed on the lower end of an elongated operating bail 4.

The piston 3 has formed therein a centrally located opening 5 the major portion of which is tapered, as at 6. The piston 3 is further provided with a peripheral groove 1 which receives a suitable packing 8.

Mounted beneath the piston 3 is a hanger 9 on which a closure ID is journaled through the medium of eyes or loops II. The closure I!) is provided with an opening I2 which is covered by a screen I3. Mounted on the hinged side portion of the closure II), as at I4, is a swinging latch I5, the free end portion of which is operable in a guide I6 which depends from the lower side of the closure In. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawing, the free end of the latch I5 is engageable with a headed pin I! which depends from the piston 3 for releasably securing said closure I 0 in closed position.

Mounted horizontally in an upper portion of the bail 4 is a rod I8. The reference numeral I9 designates a substantially U-shaped brace which is rigidly secured, at its ends, to the piston 3. The bight portion of the substantially U-shaped brace I9 traverses the rod I8 and is fixed thereto, as at 20, by soldering, Welding or in any other suitable manner. The reference numeral 2I designated a filter disk of suitable material, such as cotton, which is clamped to the lower side of the piston 3 across the opening 5.

Mounted on the piston 3 is a check valve which is designated generally by the reference numeral 22. As best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing, the check valve 22 includes a cage 23 having threaded in its upper partion a removable closure plug 24. A neck 25 depends from the cage 23 for threaded engagement in a vertical opening which is provided in the piston 3. The lower end of the cage is formed to provide a seat 26 with which a ball 21 is engageable. The cage 23 is further provided with a discharge opening 28.

Briefly, the manner of using the device is as follows:

The piston 3 is inserted in the container I and forced to a point adjacent the bottom of said container, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. The milk or cream is then placed in the container I on top of the piston 3 and said piston is then raised through the medium of the bail 4. As the piston 3 is raised there is a tendency of the milk or cream to flow by gravity through the filter 2| and the supporting screen I3 for said filter. However, this fiow is materially accelerated by reason of the fact that a partial vacuum is created beneath the piston 3 as it moves upwardly, thus drawing the milk or cream therethrough. Of course, as the milk or cream passes through the filter 2! the sediment in said milk or cream is deposited on the filter, as will be readily understood. If milk is being tested the filter 2| may be removed and the deposit examined. However, if cream is being tested, it is, as hereinbefore stated, necessary that the deposit be washed before proper examination may be made. This Washing operation may be accomplished by placing water in the container I and moving the piston 3 up and down therein at the proper speed. On the downward movement of the piston 3 the water passes upwardly through the check valve 22, thus preventing the deposit from being destroyed.

It is believed that the many advantages of a sediment tester constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. A sediment tester comprising, in combination, a container, a piston operable in said container, said piston having an opening therein,

a filter mounted on the piston and extending I across the opening, means for actuating the piston, and a check valve mounted in the piston for by-passing fluid around the filter in one direction.

2. A sediment tester comprising, in combination, a container for the reception of fluid, a piston operable in said container, means for actuating the piston, said piston having an opening therein for the passage of the fluid therethrough, a filter mounted beneath the piston and extending across the opening, means mounted on the bottom of the piston for removably securing the filter in position, and a check valve mounted on the piston for by-passing the fluid around the filter when said piston is moved in one direction in the container.

OLIVER D. KNIGHT. 

